Behavior change communication

(BCC)

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 INTRODUCTION
• Terms & Concepts:
1. Health communication – refers to use of
communication strategies to inform, influence
and motivate individual/community decisions
that enhance good health.
• It is a necessary element of efforts to improve
personal & public health.
• It contributes to all aspects of disease
prevention & health promotion.
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 Introduction 2
• The purpose of health communication is to
promote improvements in health through
modification of human, social & political factors
that influence behaviour.
• Behaviour is an action that has a specific
frequency, duration and purpose whether
conscious or unconscious.
• It is what we “do” and how we “act”.
• People stay healthy or become ill, often as a result
of their own action or behaviour.
 Introduction 3
• The following are examples of how people’s
actions can affect their health:
 Using mosquito nets and insecticide sprays helps
to keep mosquitoes away & protects one form
acquiring malaria.
 Feeding children with bottles puts them at risk of
diarrhoea.
 Defecating in an open field will lead to parasitic
infection/diarrhoeal disease transmission.
 Unsafe sexual intercourse predisposes people to
unwanted pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and other STDs.
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Context for health communication
• Health communication is applicable in the
following areas:
 Health provider-patient interactions.
 Peers- child-to-child, youth-to youth or among
adults.
 Individual’s exposure to, search for & use of
health information (web, books, tapes).
 Public health campaigns.
 Dissemination of health risk information
(mass media).
 Images of gd health practices in mass media.
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Context for health communication 2

 Education of consumers on access to

health care and health care systems.
 Tele-health/tele-medicine applications.

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 Uses of health communication

• What are the uses of health communication?

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 Uses of health communication
• The following are ways in which health
communication can be used:
1. To raise awareness of health risks & solutions.
2. To provide motivation & skills to reduce these
risks.
3. To find support from others in similar situations.
4. To affect or reinforce attitudes.
5. To increase demand for appropriate health
services.
6. To decrease demand for inappropriate health
services. 8
 Uses of health communication 2
7. To assist in making complex choices –
health plans, provider choices, drug
regimens, etc.
8. Advocate for policies & programs.
9. Promote positive change in socio-economic
& physical environment.
10. Improve delivery of public health or health
care services.
11. Encourage social norms that benefit health
& quality of life.
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Stages of health communication
1. Reaching the intended audience: device
means to enable the target audience get
the message (e.g., use of posters for
encouraging mothers to attend ANC in the
clinic; educative program on child care and
feeding on radio; etc)
2. Attracting the audience’s attention: by
using colours, words, voice intonations,
communicators/channels that are
liked/always used by the audience.
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Stages of health communication 2
3. Understanding the message: always strive to
make the message understandable by your
self first, then the target audience (mind the
language, avoid technical terms, avoid too
much information at the same time).
4. Acceptance: a stage where the target
audience believes the message & decides to
act on it.
5. Producing behaviour change- which is the
ultimate goal – outcome of the programme.
6. Improvement in health- looks at the impact
i.e. measures success of communication).
 Message appeals in BCC
1. Fear – frighten into action. Mild fear arouses
interest, too much fear causes rejection. Offer
alternatives or clear benefits in addition.
2. Humour – attracts attention, lightens tension,
creates interest.
3. Logical/factual appeal – appeals to the elite.
4. Emotional appeal – arouses emotions &
feelings e.g. stressing locally held values like
motherhood, manhood.

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 Message appeals in BCC 2

5. One sided messages – gives benefits

only.
6. Two sided messages – gives both
benefits and risks/side effects.
7. Negative appeals – appeal to people not
to do something.

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 Evolution of BCC theories
• Older approach: Persuade individuals to
change their health behaviours.
• Newer approach: In addition, create social
conditions that facilitate and reinforce
healthy behaviour.
• Both approaches influence individual
decision-making, but newer approaches
consider more than just individual variables.

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Communication as a process

Process
Process
Process
Process
Process
COMMUNICATION IS A………………… Process
Process
Process
Process
Process
Process
Process

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The P-Process for communication

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 What is process ????

• The P-process is a framework designed to guide

communicators as they develop strategic
communication programs.
• It is a step-by-step road-map that leads
communicators from a loosely defined concept
about changing behavior to a strategic and
participatory program with a measurable impact
on the intended audience.

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 The 5 Step P - Process

Development Implementation &

& Testing Monitoring

Strategic
Design
Evaluation
& Re-planning
Analysis

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Step 1: Situational Analysis

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Step 1: Situational Analysis

Learn to listen….

Listen to learn…. 20
 Step 1: Analysis 2
• In Analysis, we practically;
i) Study the Situation – to understand what is
happening, what people want to happen and
why there is a difference.
• The difference is the communicator’s
concern…!!!
ii) Review the program – by looking at the
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and
threats to existing communication program
and preparing an action plan to strengthen
the program.
• “Know thyself….to change others we may
have to change ourselves first!” 21
 In Analysis…we practically 2
iii) Study the Audience – by assessing
potential audience segments within
a population and selecting the most
appropriate for an intervention in
relation to the identified problem and
available communication resources.

• “Step into your audience’s shoes….”

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 Why Segment Audiences?
 We need to segment our audiences
because of the following reasons:
1. Limited resources (persons, time, money).
2. The trade-off between reach and intensity.
3. People have different information needs.

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Ways of audience segmentation
• Socio-economic variables (social class)

• Demographic characteristics

• Socio-political geographical units(Admin.

Units).
• Access to media.

• Behaviours.

• Health needs, etc.

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Analysis: Key Steps…

i) Determine severity and

causes of problems.
ii) Identify factors inhibiting or
facilitating desired changes.
iii) Develop problem statement.
iv) Carry out formative/baseline
research. 25
Step 2: Strategic Design

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 Strategic Design
These are the components of the strategic
design:
1. Establish communication objectives.
2. Develop health communication program
approaches.
3. Determine channels to be used.
4. Draft detailed work plan and budget.
5. Develop monitoring and evaluation plan.
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Step 3: Development & Testing

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 Development & Testing
• Develop health communication materials.
• Pretest messages and materials with
audience and stakeholders.
• Revise and complete production of
materials.

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Step 4: Implementation & Monitoring

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Implementation and Monitoring

• Mobilize key organizations/partners.

• Create a positive organizational climate.
• Implement action plans.
• Monitor program processes and outputs.

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Implementation and Monitoring:
Emphasis
1. Good leadership - ability to challenge
the status-quo, continual
improvement, to inspire & empower
others, collaborate effectively and
share credit.
2. Team work- working hand in hand
with other partner organizations with
similar interests.

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Step 5: Evaluation and
Replanning

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 Evaluation and Re-planning

• Measure outcomes and assess impact.

• Disseminate results.
• Determine future needs.
• Revise/redesign program.

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Evaluation and Re-planning: Key
Ideas

• If it is not documented, it did not exist;

(Write a report).

• A major purpose of evaluation is to

improve future efforts.

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Participation and Capacity
Strengthening

• Remember…

1. A strong communication program

should fully engage multiple
stakeholders.

2. A successful plan builds capacity

at institutional and community
level.
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 THE END!

THANKS FOR SHARING!

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